So, I'm poor, and I make up for being poor by making art and crafts out of junk and things that I find at my local recycled art store. I pick up pieces of ribbon and keys and beads and buttons and linoleum samples and things that I think I can make into something nice. I'm starting to get more into "altered" art, especially those altered curio shelves that I've seen around here, and I've got my altered book popping out once in a while, but while I've got all the scrapbook paper I will probably ever need, I'm not sure what to stick to it! I feel like what I need is a box of stuff that I can organize by color or something and dig around until I find just the thing I'm looking for. So what kind of inexpensive junk do you have just waiting to be used?

Some people will undoubtedly be all "ewwwww," but I totally pick random things up off the ground. Anything metal, or that looks weird/interesting, I'll at least bend over and have a peek. I just wash my findings with hand soap and throw them in a jar. Eventually, I'll need them for *something* right?

My grandma cleaned out her craft closet several years ago and gave me my pick of stuff. I have so many colors of thread (buying them one by one would have been a pain!) and a jar of buttons that I bring out once in a while, as well as things I wouldn't think I would use, like ric-rac and ribbons that I end up NEEDING for those special projects, you know?

I have lots of spare beads, old catalogues, and sometimes I get vintage postcards. I also have loads of interesting-looking labels. Most of these don't work out so well with the look I like on my own journals but they come in handy while making things for other people. I'm trying to expand my collection a bit, though.

I reuse vellum from special adverts and things from the paper - for that matter use the paper too when I am done with it. I just saw some neat stuff where people have used Citra solv to alter magazine pages for backgrounds for art pieces - and I am going to try to experiment with other solvents on magazine pages. I have kept the twill, twine, ribbon from packaging - some of my shirts from a particular store have tags in them that have inspirational sayings so I have cut those out. I have reused packaging to use for resin pieces, as well as things that may have interesting tissue, or papers in them. I have everyone at work saving me interesting small tins for a project I have in mind for Christmas. I love tea tins, cookie tins, candy tins.

Don't forget to scour the web for freebies in terms of images - lots of free copyright free images if you look around.

Also try to see if your area is on a program like Freecycle, or see if there is a crafting group or something, because maybe you can get free goodies from someone clearing out stuff or be able to exchange with a group of people.

Oh yes, I have been able to get things like free envelopes and stuff from card stores when they have odd extras, and maybe check out a local bookstore or library to see when they have things they are ready to get rid of. I have picked up vintage sheet music, dictionaries, and the like from local libraries for quite cheap (same with churches, etc), and if bookstores are getting rid of misprinted books or whatever, you maybe able to get them as opposed to the store throwing them out - though it maybe without covers.

My stash contains a little bit of everything since I do so many crafty things. I also have a lot of cigar tubes as everyone saves me those for storing beads and charms in.